Reynolds Eb Model 180 questions...

[kegmcnabb]

Greetings,

I have addressed this issue before but thought I would see if anyone has some new insight.

I have a 1959 Reynolds Model 180 Eb tuba with a recording bell. I would really like to find an upright bell for it. The Reynolds catalog at http://contemporacorner.com/ says the horn was available with a 20" upright bell, but I have been unable to find one. Indeed, Matt Walters at Dillion said he had never seen one.

Anybody out there have one for sale or know where I might find one? Alternatively, might a similar era Olds or King bell fit? If so which model number and where can I find one?

Second, it has this cool little first valve spring loaded trigger thingie.



What is the proper way to set/adjust this device? It is also interesting that the catalog photo seems to show the finger grip for the trigger on a long extension up from the slide (for easy reach, I suppose), but mine if you look carefully is attached directly to the rod coming out of the spring housing. Any guesses why the difference?

This is a cool little horn that I really enjoy playing, I just wish I had an upright bell for more formal gigs. I also love the fact that it was "born" the same year as I.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[kegmcnabb]

Actually upon searching iiipopes had addressed the question of the trigger in my original posting a while back. Somehow I missed that at the time. My bad! Anyway, here is his interpretation of how the slide works for those who are interested. But I still need an upright bell. Help!

Here's my interpretation as applied to a BBb tuba: the 1st valve slide is cut a bit shorter than a conventional full step slide, then this two-way spring is added to the valve slide. You adjust it so that the slide is pulled out a little bit to get the full step down, like open Bb to Ab or F to Eb. Then when you play a note that is inherently flat, like the 5th partial 2nd space C, you push in to sharpen the pitch to where it should be. When you play a note that is inherently sharp, like 12 G or D, you pull some to tune it in, and for 1-3 C or low F or for 123 B nat or low E, you pull it all the way to tune the note in.

For Eb tuba it would be to push in to bring up the flat 5th partial 4th line F, and pull some for 12 C or low G, and all the way for 1-3 bottom of staff F and 2nd ledger line BBb, and 123 1st ledger line E nat and low A nat.

[Tom Eshelman]

At Cleveland Heights High School, 1962-1965, we had 4 Reynolds Contempora BBb's and one Reynolds Contempora Eb. The Eb definitely had an upright bell as did the BBb's.

[iiipopes]

The guy who knows the most about retrofitting upright bells to recording bell tubas is probably Dan Schultz, known on this forum as tubatinker:
http://www.thevillagetinker.com